I think its moreso the problem is at the root. You change them enough to make them stand out and, they won't be Halflings any more
Halflings have been defined by being "The Regular Short Race". They can't delve into magic, because the gnomes have their hands all over that. Martial and more conflict? That's the way of the Dwarf. Unfortunately Halflings hit their niche head on but, its a very tiny niche, compared to what every other main race has. In addition, unlike gnomes or dwarves who have mythology to draw on, halflings are sort of stuck in being, well, hobbits.
As much grief as I give Dragonlance, it at least had the right idea trying something with them by going the Kender route, and there's a reason the idea of the Halfling Mafioso is a reoccuring one out there (It works really well with what they've got), but the halfling may have been doomed to be stuck in a rutt by the very niche it fills